HollowGrove is a serious roleplay environment built around character, consequence, uncertainty, and story. These terms establish the standard expected from every player. They cover general roleplay concepts such as In Character (IC) and Out of Character (OOC) distinctions, FailRP, Breaking Character, and Character Bleed. The document also defines rules around information and knowledge, including…
This document is the official terms and standards for HollowGrove, a serious roleplay server. It is written for players and staff to define expected conduct and the philosophy behind it. The document emphasizes that story comes before victory, character comes before mechanics, and consequences matter.
The first sections define fundamental roleplay concepts: In Character (IC) vs Out of Character (OOC), FailRP (implausible or careless roleplay), Breaking Character (abandoning established behavior without reason), and Character Bleed (allowing player feelings to cross into character actions). These establish the baseline for all roleplay on the server.
Rules on information and knowledge cover Metagaming (using OOC knowledge IC), Third-Party Communication (using Discord or other platforms to bypass IC limitations), Stream Sniping (using livestreams to gain information), and Ghosting (passing information through OOC means). These rules protect the integrity of in-world discovery.
Conflict rules detail Initiation (when a hostile situation begins), Escalation (proportional response to conflict), Random Deathmatch (RDM) and Vehicle Deathmatch (VDM) as unjustified violence, Combat Logging (leaving to avoid consequences), Revenge Killing (returning solely for revenge), and the New Life Rule (NLR) which limits memory and return after death.
Roleplay conduct sections address Powergaming (using mechanics to force unfair outcomes), Godmodding (controlling another player's character), Forced Roleplay (denying meaningful participation), NVL/FearRP (failing to value a character's life), Win Mentality (treating RP as competition), Baiting and Cop Baiting (manufacturing conflict), Scene Interference (inserting without reason), and Retconning (ignoring inconvenient outcomes).
Supernatural roleplay rules cover Supernatural Metagaming (using OOC knowledge to identify supernatural nature), Supernatural Reveal (making reveals matter), Ability Powergaming (using abilities as automatic victories), Power Scaling Abuse (claiming automatic superiority), Ability Stacking (combining abilities to remove counterplay), and Lore Breaking (ignoring server canon). The document concludes with Consequences and the HollowGrove Standard, which states that if everyone tries to create a…